Striving for Equality
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
Major
History
Minor
Sports Communications
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Melony Shemberger
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Since the beginning of women's sports, women have always been massively underrepresented in the media compared to men. At first, the number of women’s sports were limited with sports like gymnastics, swimming, and figure skating being primarily covered by sports media but since then women's sports have expanded to include many more sports. Despite this, women are still underrepresented in the media. Improvements have been made but there is still a way to go. This paper will examine how far women’s representation has come since the beginning of sports media. Underrepresentation of women in the media also leads to a massive pay gap between men and women’s sports. For example, the highest paid NBA player is $315 million while the highest paid WNBA player is only $900,000. Three communication theories specifically impact the amount of representation women get in the media. These three include the Agenda-Setting Theory, the Framing Theory, and the Cultivation Theory. These restrictive theories help to give women a negative image that impacts how viewers react to women’s sports. Not only are women underrepresented in sports coverage, but they are also underrepresented as employees of the sports media industry. More networks have included women reporters but the ratio of men to women reporters is still unequal. Women reporters can be seen as less credible in the eyes of the viewers due to the stereotype that sports media was made by men for men. This causes women to settle for less important media jobs and accept the harassment and double standards that they must abide by.
Fall Scholars Week 2025
JMC 384
Striving for Equality
Since the beginning of women's sports, women have always been massively underrepresented in the media compared to men. At first, the number of women’s sports were limited with sports like gymnastics, swimming, and figure skating being primarily covered by sports media but since then women's sports have expanded to include many more sports. Despite this, women are still underrepresented in the media. Improvements have been made but there is still a way to go. This paper will examine how far women’s representation has come since the beginning of sports media. Underrepresentation of women in the media also leads to a massive pay gap between men and women’s sports. For example, the highest paid NBA player is $315 million while the highest paid WNBA player is only $900,000. Three communication theories specifically impact the amount of representation women get in the media. These three include the Agenda-Setting Theory, the Framing Theory, and the Cultivation Theory. These restrictive theories help to give women a negative image that impacts how viewers react to women’s sports. Not only are women underrepresented in sports coverage, but they are also underrepresented as employees of the sports media industry. More networks have included women reporters but the ratio of men to women reporters is still unequal. Women reporters can be seen as less credible in the eyes of the viewers due to the stereotype that sports media was made by men for men. This causes women to settle for less important media jobs and accept the harassment and double standards that they must abide by.